Ushaw College

Established as a Catholic Seminary in 1808, Ushaw College represents the largest and most significant concentration of buildings, archives, books, art-works, and other artefacts related to the history of Catholicism in the North of England.

Largely designed by A. W. N. Pugin and other gothic revivalist architects, Ushaw College is a magnificent symbol of the 19th-century Catholic revival. Its archival collections also stand testament to the troubled and turbulent history of Catholicism from the 16th century onwards. Key collections include the Jacobite Papers, the Derwentwater Papers, the Wiseman Letters, the Tate-Slater Letters, the John Henry Newman Collection and the Lisbon College Archive.

The library collections at Ushaw College also facilitate research across an extensive range of disciplines including natural sciences, mathematics, music, art history, geography and exploration, the history of the book, literature, philosophy, continental history, politics, local history, architecture and the history of education.

Access

All researchers are welcome to access the Ushaw College library and archives but appointments must be made at least a week in advance.

On arrival, users will be asked to register and produce proof of their identity, including their permanent address.